Yoo Seung-jun

Steve Sueng Jun Yoo, born Yoo Seung-jun on December 15, 1976, is an American singer, rapper, and actor of South Korean origin. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Yoo immigrated with his family to the United States at the age of thirteen, settling in Buena Park, California. During his teenage years, he discovered a passion for singing after joining a church choir. He made demo tapes demonstrating his dance and rap skills and sent them to Brothers Entertainment, where he was scouted to launch a professional music career in South Korea.

Yoo officially debuted as a singer in South Korea in 1997 with the release of his first album, West Side, featuring the hit single "Gawi." The debut album sold one million copies, and Yoo won Best Newcomer of the Year across multiple award ceremonies. In 1998, he released his second album, 1998 V2 for SALE, led by the hit single "Na Na Na." Considered by many to be the most successful album of his career, it sold another million copies and earned him Best Artist of the Year honors.

Yoo continued his musical success with his 1999 album Now Or Never, featuring the single "Passion," which set a record at the time for highest first-week sales in South Korea. Later that year, he released his fourth album, Over and Over, featuring the single "Vision." Expanding his reach internationally, he released the collaborative single "Can't Wait" in 2000 with Taiwanese singer Yuki. In 2001, Yoo released his sixth album, Infinity, which debuted at the top of the charts and eventually achieved sales exceeding 600,000 units.

Yoo's career in South Korea came to an end in 2002 after he acquired United States citizenship to avoid mandatory South Korean military service, having previously stated on television that he would enlist. The South Korean government considered his actions an act of desertion and permanently banned him from entering the country, making him the only person in history banned from South Korea for acquiring another citizenship. Despite holding various court appeals, lawsuits, and public apologies over subsequent years, his efforts to lift the entry ban and secure a visa have remained unsuccessful.

Following his banishment from South Korea, Yoo transitioned his focus to acting, establishing a presence in China. In 2008, he signed a 15-year management contract with Jackie Chan's entertainment company. He made his feature film debut in 2010 as Prince Wen in Little Big Soldier and gained recognition for his television role as Jin Wuzhu in the 2013 historical drama series The Patriot Yue Fei. He was also cast in the 2015 film Dragon Blade.

In addition to his acting projects, Yoo has continued to release music across various platforms. He released the charitable album Rebirth of YSJ in 2007 and the single "My World" in China. After a cancelled comeback attempt in 2018, he officially released his extended play album Another Day on streaming services in January 2019. In late 2025, he was featured as a guest rapper on the track "Home Home," announcing his own version of the song in early 2026. Outside of entertainment, Yoo holds a 3rd Dan black belt in Taekwondo and launched a workout YouTube channel in 2019.